Drogheda councillors have agreed to write to Minister for Health Simon Harris to voice their displeasure at the change of name at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital.

All nine councillors presents unanimously supported the proposal to write to the Health Minister, to the interim DG of the HSE and to the Louth/Meath Hospital Group in an effort to stop the proposed name change.

'This change is not necessary and the HSE is being very vague at to its reasons why,' said Cllr Paul Bell, who proposed the motion. 'There are a number of university hospitals which provide the same service and haven't had to change their name, such as St Vincent's and St James'. It is a training hospital from people from home and abroad and, while it relies on staff from all over the world, it is not their requirement but it is HSE policy-driven."

He also pointed out that it was the citizens of Drogheda who paid for the hospital to be built and even though there are negative parts of all history, a name doesn't reflect the quality of care in a facility.